Malevolence
by BVonSparkle
Summary: She wants nothing but peace. He wants her dead. His solution: To travel back, to erase her starting with her ancestor. She stumbles into his plan and follows. She fights for her family. He fights to win the war.
1. The Final Meet

**Standard Disclaimer**

**The Final Meet**

_Present Day, London, England._

She stood facing the water, the sound of the river that flowed below where she stood, a slight comfort to her on this bitter evening, a cold salty wind blew, throwing her blonde curls around her pale face. Her eyes glued to the sunset, watching the sky go from blue to deep reds and light pinks with a few hues of oranges. A small sigh escaped the woman's lips as she placed her cold hands in her black jacket. So this is where it was all to go down then? Her emerald eyes glanced down each side of the bridge, watching the bustle of people walking past her, not giving her a second look. Just the way she like it. She looked down at her wrist she saw that it was almost eight, an hour to go. With one last look at the red coloured sky she turned to walk away, her heart heavy, keeping her head bent. It was times like this she hated who she was, time like these that she cursed her heritage.

The sound of her heels was comforting as she walked, keeping her eyes sharp, taking in every face that passed her. There was no way anyone was going to sneak up on her. Her senses were going in over drive as she walked. Turning to the left, the woman turned her back to the Westminster Bridge and entered the city. She knew where she was going, she's heard of the place before, studied it. It was supposed to be a family secret, something she really had no choice but to learn. She knew what power was held there and knew what it meant. In the past she had always wanted to visit, wanted to go look at it for herself, but never like this. Never like this, meeting the one person who could ruin everything, the one person who would try to ruin her. Turning down an alley, the woman suddenly stopped. She was getting close, she could feel it, making her shiver. Pulling her jacket closer around her small frame, she tried to pass the shivering off on the cold October air.

It wasn't far to where she was going, she knew the way even though never had been here in person before. These past few years she learned a lot about the world they lived in. The simple lives humans live, and what they turned their back on. A few people in the world were blessed with the gift she had, they lived normal lives with no fear of death, or being hunted constantly. She, she wasn't so lucky, she was born with a curse, a curse that went back centuries. Her family kept it from her while she was young, only telling her when she finally came of age, when her parents thought it was time. A part of her blamed them for this, a part of her blamed her ancestors of this, but knew that sometimes you can't choose who you are or what your destiny is.

* * *

He was waiting for her. Of course he was. His stormy grey eyes glared at her as she entered the circular room. He shook with rage as his eyes showed nothing but hate. She stopped facing him, her eyes flickered across the room. Nothing. They were alone. Just like how he wanted. She took a quiet breath, before meeting his hateful gaze. He smirked, raising his hand snapping two of his fingers. Candles and basins all flared into light, casting a low glow in the room. The stone walls were bare except for a torches every few feet. Basins of fire were on either side of him and two were on either side of her. She could feel the heat licking at her face. The floor was made of simple stone and it too was bare, there was two tables one on her right and one on his left. She had noticed the red circle was painted on the stones with a star in the middle. Her eyes looked over the symbols and words that were painted within the circle. So this was his plan. With a heavy heart, the woman once again met the stormy grey eyes that hated her more than anything. How did they get here? She wondered.

Staring at the man across the room from her, she removed her jacket and placed it on the table to her right. The room was cold, the stone walls holding no heat what so ever. A chill washed over her, but she kept her hands at her side. Her sense's once again in over drive, her eyes sharp. She stared back at him with silent sadness. He smirked, staring at her, now pacing back and forth, his eyes never leaving her face. He looked like a predator stalking his prey, a killer cornering his victim. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment just to relax her beating heart, only to open her eyes to concentrate on him. So this is where everything is going to end? This is where one of them was going to die. Her heart was sad, guilt washed over her in waves as she watched him pace before her.

* * *

Gasping for breath, she placed a hand on the wall to hold herself up. She was feeling weak, over spent, but damn him! She glared across the room at the one who hated her, someone who she could never hate in return. He was breathing heavily as well, wondering if he was feeling over spent like herself. He didn't attack while she stood there catching her breath, so in return she didn't attack him. She didn't start this, she didn't even want to be here. Why must this always happen? How did they get to this point? To this point where he wants nothing but to kill her. No feelings were there for her but hate. He hated her and she didn't understand why? Why couldn't they just tell their families to go screw their plans and destinies. Screw their centuries long war between one another. At one time they were friends, the best of friends, until they were told who they were. _What_ they were. She stared at the man she called friend what seemed like so long ago. He took his family's mission seriously.

"We can stop this." She said softly, her eyes sad, her face showing the guilt for this situation she couldn't control. She knew nothing would be the same between them, not with the many years of fighting. She knew the day he broke her heart, they would never be the same people again. He did this to them, her family did this to them, his family turned him against her. She cursed her ancestor once again, as she watched him from across the room.

"Stop? _Stop?_ Not until you're dead!" He shrieked, before attacking once more. This was never going to end until one wipes out the other. Then something shifted, something changed within him. He smiled, a dark smile, she blocked a blow watching him with wide eyes. He had crossed the line, he moved to the center of the pentacle. "Not until your whole family line is wiped from the earth!" Her eyes widened as he spoke the old language, the language most had forgotten. The old language that held old power within its words. Her heart hammered in her chest, when she realized what he was doing, what he was going to do. Without hesitation she ran forward, crossing the line herself, running to him, to stop him before he made a big mistake. He looked surprised, shocked that she would come towards him, but he kept going.

A flash of white blinded both of them, she stumbled into him, feeling his solid frame under her hand and then he was gone. She fell forward, she was falling, her body felt weightless. She couldn't feel her body, all she could do was scream, all she could do was pray for death to take her, if this was what he wanted then so be it. She'll die. Falling faster, and faster, she felt the cold wipe bite into her, she shivered wishing more than anything for warmth. She tried to open her eyes, only to see nothing, absolutely nothing, her heart sped up as she felt herself grasping for air. It was like the wind was knocking the air out of her, choking her slowly. What was going on? What did he do? There in the distance was a glint of hope, a speck of light that grew bigger as she fell towards it. Daring to hope, the light grew bigger and bigger, until it swallowed her up. The light was blinding, but just as cold as the dark was. There was no warmth here. She didn't know how long she was in the light, or have fallen. Her mind flew to _him_, always back to him, wondering if he was serving the same fate she was, if he was falling and falling through the dark and the light. Her last thought was the words he spoke, the old language. She gasped.

Everything went black.


	2. Awakening

**Standard Disclaimer**

**Awakening**

She felt the warmth surround her cold body, making her shiver slightly. Waking in a daze, she noticed she wasn't falling anymore. No, she was lying on something soft, something warm. Her body shivered from the warmth, making her wrap her arms around her middle. Opening her eyes slowly, the world was slightly blurred but she could make out the emerald sky above her. Blinking, to clear her vision she noticed that the sky wasn't actually emerald, but it was that of tree tops, with the mid-day sun blazing through the cracks. Ever so slowly, she sat up, her eyes glued to the tall tree tops. She blinked the brightness away, getting used to the light as she sat there thinking. Her memory was fuzzy, she remembered bits and pieces, groaning she felt a slight throb anytime she thought too hard about what had happen. Taking a deep breath, she looked up once more, then turning to survey in the scenery. She was sitting on grass in a middle of a small clearing, trees surrounding her for miles. There was no path, no way to tell where she was. Just the trees seemed to sway with life, and looked more vibrant than her dreary home. Her brow creasing as she tried to think of where she was, or what had happened.

Was she dead? No, no. She wasn't. She was breathing, and very much alive. Well she hoped. It couldn't have ended like this, she still had a full life in front of her. There was so much she still wanted to do, so much she wanted to learn. Groaning, she closed her eyes to stop the throb that turned into sudden pain that stabbed at her mind. What happened? Slowly, it came back to her. She was in a room, a dark cold stone room, someone else was there. They were standing across the room from her, pacing back and forth. Why? Why did she go to that room? As she concentrated the pain slowly ebbed away letting her memories roll over her. They were fighting, that man wanted her dead. Like always. On the floor was a red pentacle, with words of old and symbols of evil. They had fought from opposite side of the room, never crossing the red line. Then he did, he crossed the line. Taking a deep shaky breathe, she closed her eyes. Concentrating on the sounds of the small clearing, a soft trickling sound got her attention, turning her head slightly, she peaked out of her eyelashes.

A woman was standing there, an older woman by at least a decade, stood by the stream. A white dress drapped around her frame as dark hair curled around her face and down her back, her skin looked porcelain and sea green eyes stared at the girl. She stared at the stranger, confused, never blinking from the stare of the older woman. The woman smiled a sweet smile, a kind smile before taking a step forward, which made the girl narrow her eyes. Of course she wouldn't trust anyone at this point, she had no reason too. She wasn't where she last remembered, she didn't even know where here was. Fear suddenly gripped her as a few memories washed over her, she was falling into nothing and then engulfed in white light. The woman had moved towards the girl, slowly kneeling before her. Reaching out a hand she pushed a few strains of honey blonde hair from the girl's face.

"Do you know your name?" The woman asked softly, staring at the girl, watching her. A look of concern, made the small girl arch an eyebrow. She felt exposed suddenly, staring at those sea green eyes. Looking away, she concentrated. Her name. Of course she knew her name. Her head pounded again, which she let out a groan. "It's okay. It'll come, don't force it." The woman's voice was soft kind, hopeful, the girl looking back at the beautiful woman.

"Melody." She said after a moment. "Melody Winters." She remembered. Her name was Melody Winters, nineteen years of age. She let out a shaky laugh, the memories of her family and friends washed over her. Good, she didn't forget. Relief. Oh that was good, if she could remember then she was definitely alive. Melody turned her gaze to the other woman, just to make sure. "Am I...am I dead?" She asked slowly. The other woman smiled brightly, shaking her head, letting dark locks fall over her shoulders.

"No. You're very much alive Melody." The woman said, standing up reaching out her hands to the girl. Melody looked from the woman's hands to her face, still slightly weary of this woman. Reaching up, she grabbed the woman's hands letting her help Melody to stand. Glancing down at herself, Melody gasped. She changed, her clothes were different. Stepping away from the woman, Melody looked down at the light blue dress that fit nicely against her small frame, it was simple but elegant. The silk was tight around her arms, but drapped down as it reached her wrists, a small elegant jeweled belt wrapped around her middle, as gold thread made a small twisting pattern around her neck.

"I...I wasn't wearing this." Melody spoke out load, more to help comfort herself. Concentrating, she tried to remember what she wore that morning. Dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt, high-heel boots with her favourite black jacket. She put feathered earings in, plus her family heirloom, a simple silver chained neck with a beautiful sapphire pendant. Melody's hands flew to her neck, and let out the air she had held. Her necklace was still there. Earings weren't there but those feathered ones weren't her favourite.

"Well, you couldn't exactly roam around with your cloths could you? Not in this time." The woman said, watching Melody as the girl had checked herself over. Melody looked over at the woman, confusion plain on her face. Did she just say time? Running a hand through her hair, Melody glanced down at her simple dress to the woman who stood not to far from her.

"You said 'not in this time'. What do you mean by that?" She asked, her voice shook slightly, fear crept up her spin, her eyes narrowing slightly. The woman turned to look at the trees, waving her hand at their surroundings.

"Exactly what I mean. Not in this time." The woman stated, turning a kind look back at the girl. "Melody, you're not in your time anymore. You've travelled into the past." She tried to say as gently as she could. The younger girl looked like she was about to break, to cry as her eyes glistened with tears, which the woman didn't think would be a bad thing.

"I'm..in the past?" Melody said quietly, spinning on the spot to take in the forest that now seemed bigger than the girl originally assumed. "Wait...how is that possible?"

"How is anything possible." The woman stated. "By magic of course."

It hit Melody like a ton of bricks, everything came back so quickly that it made her head ache, and the forest around her to sway. That's right, she was in that room using magic to defend herself and to attack _him_. His face was clearer than before, his eyes were that grey you see when a storm is flying in over the sea, those grey eyes full of hate. Placing a hand over her mouth and on her stomach, Melody gasped for breath. She felt sick to her stomach, how could she forget she was a witch? A witch with a power heritage, and ancestors. She remembered he stepped into the circle, right in the middle. Words of old, old magic being used, forbidden words were being spoken. He was coming back here, but why? Why was he here? Where was _here?_ She didn't feel herself fall to her knees, she didn't recognize the forest floor as she stared at it, she wasn't staring at the forest floor but at his face. Her head started spinning as she realized what he was doing, he was casting a spell to bring him back in time. She wanted to stop him, no point in hiding in the past, but she fell into him. Is that why she was here?

"Where is he?" Melody asked, her voice shaking, her body racked with fear, her eyes wide, her long honey hair fell on either side of her face to hiding it from the woman's view.

"Who Melody?" The woman questioned, didn't she know? She had to have known? This whole time she knew who Melody was, she had to of, or else she wouldn't have known the girl was from the future.

"You know who." Melody spat.

"I do know. But do you?" The woman replied with the same patience as a mother would with her child. Raising her head slowly, Melody stared at those sea green eyes. She knew his name! Had to know his name. She moaned as her head ached once more.

"James." She gasped. "James Masters." Melody said, and her heart clenched. Saying his name hurt, remembering him hurt. Resting back on her legs, she placed her hands in her lap and stared at the ground before her. Oh god, James did this. James brought them here. He used old magic to travel in the past and Melody stumbled into it. Taking a deep breath, the girl looked up at the older woman, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Don't worry Melody. All isn't lost. You are not dead. Nor is James. You both came here, both for a purpose." The woman spoke softly, moving to kneel before Melody, who stared at her in confusion. "You are the soldier for good, as he is the soldier for evil. You both have a destiny you're trying to fulfill and only one of you will succeed."

"Who are you?" Melody suddenly demanded, her heart pounded as the woman spoke the words her parents continuously told her. The woman stared up at Melody with a slight thoughtful expression before smiling slightly, like she was keeping a secret that only she knew.

"I am here to help." Was the reply, which Melody didn't buy. Standing up Melody stood over the woman, a sudden urge crept over her. An urge that had been long since been banished from her mind, she wanted to get mad, she wanted to make the woman tell her everything she wanted to know, use the magic that she was born with it get what she wanted. Taking a gasping breath, Melody stumbled back, the urge quickly left like it appeared, wide eyed Melody stared at the older woman who looked utterly concerned.

"I'm alright. Just...wow...it's been a long time since that happened" Melody mumbled to herself, placing a hand on a nearby tree, and once again gasped. She felt the tree, how alive it was, the power it held within it. As her senses kicked in, as her body got used to being here, she saw the power, felt the power and could hear the raw beautiful magic that surrounded her in her little clearing.

"It'll take you a while to get used to it. It's not the same as it is in the future." The woman spoke slowly, watching the girl breath heavily. "Laws have been put in place for reasons like these. The overwhelming of magic can drive one to complete madness. But you already know that." Melody's emerald eyes snapped to the woman, flashing slightly. What could this woman know? Of course she knew what happens when one lets magic overwhelm them.

"How can you know what it's like in my time?" The girl asked, her eyes weary, her body shaking as she fought the rawness of magic that coursed through her. She kept reminding herself to get a grip, to stay in control, but it was hard. Oh so hard. Taking a deep breath, Melody watched the woman stand taking a few steps towards her.

"Oh Melody, there's so much I know. Unfortunately this isn't the time for explanations." The woman replied, her eyes sad as she watched the girl. Melody shook her head, standing away from the tree, her eyes flickering to the trees.

"Okay, is there time to get a few questions answered first?" Melody asked, which the woman nodded, clasping her hands in front of her. Melody took a calming breath and walked closer studying the strange woman. "What is your name?"

"I have many names, but you can call me Avery." The woman replied, her eyes soft, her smile kind. Melody nodded.

"Avery. I'll take it." Avery smiled while watching the girl, who looked at the forest with such interest. "Where am I?"

"Albion. This land is called Albion, the future England." Avery replied, sweeping her hands to point around their clearing. Melody gulped nodding. Wow, Albion, that's, that's really a long time ago. "About half a day walk to the north you'll reach the city of Camelot." Spinning to stare at Avery, Melody arched an eyebrow in question.

"You're kidding me. Camelot. Wow. I've always wanted to see it." Turning to face North, Melody stared between the trees, a half a day walk huh? Why would James want to come to this time? To Camelot, to Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table? Nothing made sense, a sharp pain made the girl groan, she had to stop forcing memories to come to her.

"Right now, it is the reign of King Uther Pendragon, his majesty isn't a fan of those who practice magic of any kind." Avery spoke up, appearing beside Melody staring straight at the city that was hidden by the forest. "His son Prince Arthur, as you are aware is the 'Once and Future King', he has a destiny like you. To unite this land in complete peace. He has a servant you might be interested in, a young warlock hidden in plain sight." Melody turned to Avery, a bit confused. Why would she be interested in a young servant who was also a warlock? "The servant's name is Merlin."

"Merlin?" The name sounded familiar, a name that was spoken throughout time, one that no one forgot, yet she couldn't remember why it was so important. Shaking her head, the girl sighed. "Why is it so hard to remember things?" She asked.

"When you travel, you get placed into that time. You are now living in the past, because of that your future knowledge if blocked." Avery said. "Don't force the memories to come back or the knowledge for the simple fact you could do some serious damage on your mind. Listen to me Melody, this is important. The reason the knowledge has been blocked is because you say the wrong thing, you can change history, somethings will seep through like your name and Jame's, the knowledge you have about your magic is there. Some tidbits about this time and place have been left so you can blend in without a problem but Melody, don't force it to come to you. The barrier is there to protect you and this time. Don't speak a word about it to anyone or the effects can be disastrous." Avery had grabbed Melody's shoulders, forcing the girl to look at her. Melody just nodded. It made sense about why it was hard for her to remember certain details. The younger woman smiled, as agreement understanding the risks of being here. Glancing up to the sky, she noticed how the leafs looked darker, how the sun didn't seem to sun as bright. How long have they been here?

"Avery how long have we been here? It almost looks like the sun is setting." Melody said, turning to look at the forest, even the trees seemed to get darker. The older woman stepped away from Melody glancing at the darkening forest, her eyes wide. For the first time Avery showed fear, which made Melody shiver. With a whisper of a word, a wave of her hand and the glow of her eyes, a silk cape appeared which Avery grabbed.

"Melody, listen. There's more dangers out here than James. Both non-magic and magic. You must get to Camelot, you'll be safe there. Find a man by the name of Gaius, tell him you're a friend of mine. He'll help you." Throwing the cape around Melody's shoulders, Avery gave Melody's shoulders a slight squeeze. "Be careful of using your magic, even if James is around. You can't be found out, Uther will kill you instantly. Now we will meet again, but you must go. Danger approaches, go Melody. Go!" Avery pushed Melody away from her, towards the north, stumbling back the girl stared at the older with scared eyes. Nodding, she placed the hood on her head, to hide her face, turned and ran.

Turning to glance once more at Avery, the clearing had disappeared to be replaced with a fallen moss covered log, and the sun wasn't as bright as before. Was she protecting Melody with magic? Or was that all a dream? Turning her back to the mysterious woman and those thoughts, Melody ran forward, hoping she was still going in the right direction, it wasn't long before fear gripped her and she was lost. Noises of branches breaking and footsteps surrounded the girl, making her shake, she knew using magic would be forbidden, and unwise to use. So she just turned and ran further from the noises as she could. Out of the corner of her eyes, she swore that something was there, that something was following her.

Melody ran, even when her lungs burned and her sides hurt, she needed to find Camelot, she needed to find Gaius. She needed to be somewhere safe. Once more she looked behind her, only to stumble and fall, letting out a scream, she fell hard on the ground. Everything swam before her eyes, her mind fuzzy, how hard did she fall? Turning her head, she groaned as a sharp pain stabbed at her mind, her eyes focused on a rock, a sharp edged rock. Slowly, she started to get up, the world dancing before her, making her sway ever slightly. Stumbling forward, her mind was on one thing. Find Camelot.

_"Melody..."_ She turned her head, the world blurred, before clearing slightly. _"Oh Melody..."_ It was a voice, a male voice that spoke to her. She cringed, she heard that voice somewhere before but where? Fear gripped her as she made her way forward, a wind blowing through the darkening forest, making the leaves rustling, making the girl jump. As she turned her head, that sharp pain would dull slightly, but not enough to stop the world from spinning. _"Oh my poor Melody...so alone...so lost..." _The voice whispered sweetly at her, she spun on the spot.

"Who's there?" She cried, fear paralyzing her. Where have she heard that voice before? Who did it belong too?

_"You know who..."_ It replied, a shiver went up Melody's spin, as panic gripped her heart. She knew. She had to _know._ The voice was calm, clear and evil. She felt the evil, she heard the evil and knew it belonged to evil.

"Show yourself!" Melody shouted out at the dark, at the empty forest. Placing a hand on her golden curls, she brought it down only to stare at the red stain on her fingers. She was bleeding. Probably happened when she fell.

_"Oh Melody, you're hurt and all alone. What are you going to do?"_ You could hear the smile in the voice, who could hear the cruelty of the voice.

"Leave me alone!" Melody's panic clear in her voice. "Leave me alone!" Turning once more, she ran, stumbling as she went, her vision getting worse, the forest seemed darker than it should be at this time. A constant stabbing in her mind, now that she ran turning her head to look around her. The world danced before her, as fear kept her moving.

_"I will never leave you alone."_ She screamed, falling once more, tripping over a branch, she covered her head, hoping not to hit again, her body burned from running, ached from both falls, but she kept trying to push forward. No way was she going to allow this voice, this echo of _him _scare her.

"This way!" Another male voice shouted out, one that seemed concerned. Melody groaned, turning in the direction of where this new noise was coming from. She heard the rustling of leaves, the snapping of branches, there was no way she was going to find out if it was friend or foe. Melody turned, fighting the pain that was coursing through her body, ignoring the burning sensation of her lungs. Camelot was her goal, safe Camelot, not this forest. She was surprised with how long she lasted, with the dizziness and the pain, she was surprised she hadn't passed out from the bleeding. Her body took a mind of it's own, her vision darkening, her mind ached with pain, her legs felt like jello, her heart pounding. She stumbled, the world burry and then refocusing.

_"I'll see you soon Melody."_ She heard, crying out. No this couldn't be happening, she had to push forward, she had to continue. She heard his laughter echoing around her, she felt her body succumb to the pain and tiredness she felt. Finally her world was going black, even as she fought to stay awake, to stay conscious.

"Over here! There's someone here!" A voice shouted, it seemed far away, yet so close. She heard branches break, but again they seemed distant. "She's hurt!"

"Get her back to-" Her world went black, everything seemed so quiet and Melody once again fell into darkness screaming.


	3. Nightmares and Dreams

**Standard Disclaimer**

**Nightmares and Dreams **

_The dark surrounded the girl, a cold set in, not a winter chill, no this cold settled in her soul, and heart. No amount of heat would warm her, wrapping her arms around herself Melody shivered. She wanted to call out but her voice got stuck in her throat, no matter how badly she wanted to call for help nothing came out. Her voice was frozen, her heart pounded, she was scared and didn't know where she was. Looking around, Melody saw a vast space of nothing, she was standing, she felt ground under feet, well what she hoped was ground. She shivered again, her head throbbing, staring at the emptiness before her. Where was she? Melody felt her fear rising in her, but she fought for control, no way was she about to let this scare her. There was more to it than the emptiness, the dark, there was something else, something else in this place that scared her. Something familiar. Melody turned, straining her eyes trying to see something, anything, a light, something to let her know that she wasn't standing in darkest part of her mind. The one place she didn't want to see, the one place where everyone's nightmares come true. She fought for control over her emotions, but panic was soon going to drive her mad._

_"Oh my Melody, where are you now?" A voice said a sweet, gentle, cruel voice. Jumping at the sudden noise, Melody eyed the area, she knew that voice, and she heard it before. Her heart jumped a couple more speeds, as she continued to spin on the spot, it scared her, yet she knew it. The voice sounded familiar, one she's heard many times, yet she couldn't place it. She concentrated on the sound, and yet nothing came her, just a stab of pain, making her feel dizzy. It was then she saw it, an image appearing before her, making her gasp and stepping back. He stood before her, dressed all in black, which matched his black hair, his eyes were the colour of a storm passing over a sea, his eyes glaring, full of hate and distaste. His arms were crossed against his chest, a cold smile on his pale face. He was handsome; she had always thought so, girls used to swoon at the sight of him. He stared at Melody for a moment, his eyes studying her pale face, his smile getting bigger. James Masters. His name rang through her mind, as she stared at him._

_He pointed at her, his eyes full of malice as he shouted something, she couldn't hear his voice, a part of her didn't want to hear the words he spoke, but she felt it. She felt weak, her heart heavy, his laugh rang through the emptiness surrounding her, making her feel colder than she was. Her eyes wide, as she watched, he looked triumphant, which scared her even more. Was this a vision? Or just a nightmare. She wanted to run, she wanted to hide, but found her feet would not answer her mind's cry. A circle of red appeared around his feet, making Melody stare in horror as he was engulfed in flames, as much as they were enemies, she couldn't watch him burn alive. Yet, he didn't scream in pain, but laughed, a high cold laugh that sent shivers down her spine. She had to look away as the flames engulfed James, as the light had gotten brighter each second, before it disappeared completely and once again she was alone in the dark._

_Fear gripped her, froze her to where she stood, she wanted out, she needed to get out. She couldn't be here anymore, not in the blackness alone, where there was a cold settling in on her, making her fear even herself. Melody wanted nothing more than to wake up, but her cries weren't answers, so she just stayed where she was, a feeling of utter despair falling on her. How could this be happening to her? What had made things so bad? James was her friend, someone she considered a brother, yet their families had told them the truth, told them who they were. "You're a witch Melody, a powerful one. You come from a long line of witches and warlocks who fought to keep the earth safe and humans ignorant of magic." Her mother's voice rang out, a slight comfort that she could remember her mother and father, yet when she tried to summon them to her, she couldn't see their faces. She couldn't exactly remember what they looked like, which scared Melody more. Another face instead appeared before her, someone she's never seen before._

_He was an older man older than her grandfather she'd say, who was in his eighties, this man looked to be centuries old. He had white hair that fell down his back, almost hitting the floor. His beard was just as white and just as long. Melody stared at the elder questionably, her voice hasn't freed itself, he didn't look evil, but looks can be deceiving. His eyes were a light blue, staring at them, she saw the kindness within them, but that didn't stop Melody for being careful, she's learned over the years not to trust everything she saw. The elder wore a red cloak, that covered his feet and a wooden staff in his hand, it was special, just a simple staff. Melody could feel the power that rolled off of the man, ancient magic, raw power rolled off of him, making her drunk with power from just his presence. He smiled at her, raising a hand towards her. Melody eyed the elder, watching him closely, she wanted to reach out and take his hand, to feel the ancient power that emanated from him. She knew that if she got just a little taste of that power, she wouldn't want to give it back, she wouldn't want to let go of it. Shaking her head slowly, Melody looked sadly at the elder, he lowered his hand and his smile got brighter. He took a step towards her and leaned in, whispering in her ear. One single word. "Emrys." Looking back at him, Melody stared at him, confusion plain on her face, he just laughed before faded into the darkness, his eyes glowing a light gold. The word had left an impression on her, a feeling she thought she'd never feel again. Hope._

_What the hell was going on? Melody shivered once more, wrapping her arms tighter around herself, as if trying to warm herself, which wasn't working. After seeing that elderly man, she wasn't so scared anymore, somehow he calmed her nerves. James entered her thoughts then, which seemed clearer than before, she was able to think, her head stopped throbbing, which was nice. Melody sighed to herself, thinking of James, remembering how he appeared before her; the look on his face was pure hatred for her. How could he hate her? At one time they were close, closer than they were to their families. She considered the Warlock her best friend, her brother and then it all went downhill. Memories slowly paraded before her, allowing her to see snippets of the change between the two of them. Melody cursed her family, blamed them for the burden they had placed on her shoulders, as James took his family's mission serious and loved every minute of it. He enjoyed learning the dark magic; casting spells and curses, where Melody fought every fiber of her being to control those urges. She worked day and night to win control over herself and she did master it, faster than anyone else, which made her proud. She was quick on her feet, and clever with her words, where James was blunt and sharp edges._

_The memories of the day before paraded before her, she saw James standing across the room, the curses, the shouts and the pity she felt. Her heart was heavy that day, for she knew this was what their families had trained them for, all those hours of studying. Well that's what she thought, but he did something different, he stepped over the line that she knew held dark magic, old magic. Melody rememebered being told that using old magic takes a lot of energy, for those words and that magic wasn't held by the same laws as they were now. They should be forgotten, left into history so that nothing could happen. You couldn't control ancient magic, old magic, it was unpredictable and could end badly. Melody heard the words, knew what James was doing, felt the fear and then the falling sensation. Shaking herself, Melody pushed that memory aside, she'd deal with it later. She turned on the spot and sighed, now that she wasn't so scared, she felt curious. If she moved what would happen? Was it only solid where she stood? Before she could make up her mind, another image appeared before her. This time a woman._

_The woman's hair was long, went down to the middle of her back, her hair black like a raven and curled beautiful to shape her ivory face. Her eyes were a bright green, but cold, hate but she wore a warm gentle smile. Melody arched an eyebrow as she looked at the woman; she wore an elegant dress of red, which shaped her small frame nicely, her sleeves bowing out at the wrists, showing off her slim hands that had beautiful rings with rubies and emeralds on them. She wore an elegant necklace around her neck; a simple pendant like Melody's but hers was a deep red, a ruby by the looks of it. She too held out her hand towards the girl, who stepped back. Melody felt the power radiating off of the woman, but it wasn't like the elder, no she had a cold evil power about her, similar to James. Melody narrowed her eyes, glancing between the hand that was out stretched to her, to the woman's beautiful face. If she could speak, Melody would tell the woman to leave, she did not want the power she offered._

_The woman studied Melody's face for a moment before her beautiful features changed as her eyes flashed dangeriously. Her eyes flashed a golden colour, blasting Melody with a force, she could only explain as wind. Surprisingly the girl didn't fly back, or fall, which angered the woman even more. Staring back at the woman, Melody stood straighter, confidence filling her once more. This wasn't the first witch she had fought, nor would she be the last, Melody knew how to defend herself, she knew how to stand her ground and when to show her fear and when to keep it locked in the darkest place of her mind. The woman sneered at the girl. Her eyes bright with hate, studying the young girl. "We've could of been a great team, you and I." She said, her lips curling, "We could of saved so many that are just like us." She spoke, her voice like silk, sweet and creul. Melody just shook her head, her eyes narrowing, she got a hated look from the woman before a blinding light surrounded the woman. Melody turned away, closing her eyes, the light hurt, when she turned back to stare down the woman, she noticed once again, she was alone._

_Melody spun on the spot, her eyes wide, fear slowly creeping up on her once more. Oh how she wanted to get out of where ever she was, she wanted to leave or at least shout out. Her voice still was stuck in her throat, and being mute didn't sit well with the girl. She was used to talking, and facing enemies with a voice she could yell or even reason with. Sudden sadness filled the girl, as she stared at the dark, she felt alone, more alone than she's ever felt. She wasn't in a time where her family could find her and help her, no she was alone and James was out there, somewhere, planning something, something that had to do with her, she was sure. Closing her eyes, the girl steadied her breathing, and kept control of her emotions, only to open them and someone else had appeared before her._

_He was different, he wasn't facing her, in fact his back was turned to her and he was walking away. It confused Melody as she watched, he wore a red tunic over armour, a golden dragon sewed into the red fabric, his hair was blonde, a little darker than Melody's own golden curls. On his head, he wore a small golden crown, which slowly got bigger as he continued to walk away. Who was he? She studied what she could, he had broad shoulders, nicely toned, she glanced at the sword at his hip. Her eyes landed on that sword, it was made of steel like any sword, but there was something else about it. Something that struck her strange, there was a glimmer surrounding the sword, like magic was protecting the sword. As she looked back at the man's back, images floated around him, slowly faded as he continued to move further._

_Melody saw a man, older than the one who had his back turned, his brown hair graying, a golden crown on his brow. He looked cold, his eyes haunted by a memory he couldn't let go. Another image flew past her, this time a group of men, dressed similar to that of the man before her, but not with the red tunic, but red cloaks with the same golden dragon. Another image appeared, this one was clearer almost, more prominent. It was of a woman, darker skin, warm eyes and a gentle smile. She had dark hair that fell around her face and shoulders, wearing what Melody assumed were a servant, but as she watched, the woman changed. She wore a beautiful dress of blue, a silver design twisted around the neckline, her hair was pinned against her hair, with a golden crown on her head. Then he and his images were gone. Melody let out a shaky breath, blinking, trying to wrap her head around what was going on._

_The darkness that was pressing against her, making her cold, started to get lighter and warmer. Golden lights danced into Melody's view, dancing around her, and into the dark. Which confused the girl even more than she already was, Melody turned to stare at the woman who was there when she first woke up. Avery wore a golden dress this time, which fell against her skin, her hair was pinned back against her head, allowing a few curls to fall around her face. Around her neck she wore a chain with an hourglass that rest against her chest. Avery smiled brightly, opening her arms, which allowed Melody to run into them. Hugging the older woman Melody sighed, but pulled back. She barely knew this woman, and yet this woman brought her hope and confidence. Melody shook her head, she barely knew this woman._

_"You can speak now my child." Avery said with a small laugh._

_"What's going on? What's happening? Where am I?" It was good to hear her voice again, she was relieved that she could still talk, Avery smiled._

_"All questions will be answered in time." She said, sitting down on a patch of grass. Confused, Melody turned to look back to where she was, and gasped. The cold darkness was gone replaced with the clearing Melody had first met Avery. Turning back to the woman, Melody eyed her. "I'm not going to hurt you Melody." She said, smiling kindly at the girl._

_"Are you going to answer any of the questions I have?" Melody sat down beside the woman, turning her gaze to the stream they sat near. Avery smiled, watching the golden hair child, reaching out running her hands through her hair, almost like a mother caressing her child._

_"In time." Was the reply, Melody glanced at the woman, before rolling her eyes. Always with the riddles, she thought, she really wanted answers. The warmth that surrounded both women was making Melody tired, her eyelids felt heavy, but she fought it, she wanted to ask her questions to know what the hell was going on, ask about those images that had appeared before her. "Now, it's time for you to rest. Rest now Melody Winters, and your questions will be answered in time." Melody was going to argue, her eyes were just too heavy, and a sudden need to sleep washed over her, she leaned against the soft ground, and fell asleep in the warmth and light. Avery continued to stroke the child's hair, as she rest her head against the woman's lap. Avery smiled to herself, glancing down at the girl, the most important girl in the universe._

_Melody didn't know what lay ahead, but Avery knew and feared for the girl. Avery wished that Melody didn't have to go through with this, but she wasn't going to go through it alone. Smiling, Avery hummed along with the song that danced around their little clearing, in the morning Melody will awake and everything will start to fall into place._


	4. Waking Up

**Standard Disclaimer**

**Waking Up**

Melody stirred in her sleep, she felt her body waking up, her mind alert to the noises around her. She didn't want to open her eyes, afraid of where she'd be, the last thing she remembered was running in the forest, and hearing voices. The girl shivered as she thought of her dream, the darkness, and images of people she didn't know. Then there was James, he had appeared before her and somehow she knew, this was going to be the end of everything. Opening her eyes slowly, Melody stared at the wall from where she laid, just staring, her heart suddenly heavy with sadness and guilt. If this was going to be the end, then that means-no. She wouldn't think about it right now, she couldn't, it hurt too much. Closing her eyes tightly, shaking off the feeling of hopelessness, she couldn't think that this was going to be the end, there had to be another way, right? Sighing, the girl opened her eyes once more, glancing at the wall once more, wait? Wall? She was inside, when did that happen? Her eyes danced then around the room she was in. Where was she? She laid on a small cot, big enough for one person, and yet it was still a little too small for her, she wore the same dress she had on when she woke up the first time, it was dirty now, but that could be easily taken care off. Melody felt heat on her right side, turning to see a roaring fire in a fireplace that was surrounded by bookcases. Melody forced herself to focus, she still felt drowsy from fainting, there was still a dull throb, but she figured it was because of when she hit her head.

Bookcases lined almost every wall, there were a few tables scattered within the room, but each surface was covered with books, papers or vials with odd coloured liquids. Fear slowly crept up Melody's spin as she took in the room, where the hell was she? This place gave her the feeling of being in a laboratory and she was the experiment, she was thank-full that the room was empty there was no one else but her. She could sneak away and no one would know. Right? Well, someone was bound to know, but that wasn't the point. Melody threw off the covers, and stood, swaying slightly as her vision blurred before refocusing; well now she knew she couldn't move too fast. Staying put, Melody breathed slowly, allowing the dizziness to pass, she couldn't pass out again, not after the dream she had, and the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm her. Melody hadn't stopped and thought about where she was, she couldn't, the shock wore off now, being in the past, her future memories blocked, only knowledge of who she was, what she was, and about this time remained. Even that was limited as well, completely frustrating. Trying to recall her family was getting harder now that she was awake, she remembered some things of course, no amount of magic can stop someone from forgetting everything. Trust me, she's tried. Taking a slow breath, Melody pushed those feelings aside, cursing herself for allowing that to happen. She needed to think clearly, get out of here and find James. Melody felt cold just thinking of James, but refused to allow her emotions rule her mind, she would harden her heart, just like him. One more chance, she thought, one more chance, then she'll show him what she really is made of.

Melody had found her cloak placed on the back of a chair, grabbing it, she wrapped it around her. She felt safer somehow with the cloak around her, maybe it was because Audrey had given it to her. Maybe because it felt like protection, from everything, from magic and people, for the first time she felt safe with it wrapped tightly around her body. The girl made her way to the door slowly, trying not to pass out of the dizziness. Gritting her teeth, she pushed forward, forcing herself to move. She had to get out, couldn't be found there didn't want to be found awake. The girl didn't know where she was, who was going to come through those doors, and the last thing she needed to do was fight while still very weak. Melody glanced around at the room, taking it in, she couldn't believe so much was stuffed into a small area like that. Her eyes fell on a book that was opened, on the only table that wasn't stacked pile high with books or papers. It was the picture that caught her eye, making the girl move closer to take a better look. It was a picture of, well, a dragon, it had golden scales bright as the sun, its eyes red as hell's flames, its body looked to be about two football sizes long, a lot smaller in the picture of course. Staring at the picture, Melody felt the sense of familiarity with it, she knew this dragon, which was of course impossible, there was only one dragon in existence in her time, and he looked nothing like that or did he? Her head throbbed worse as she tried to remember the dragon, the memory wouldn't come to her. Sighing, Melody shook her head, this was going to a lot harder than she thought, if she couldn't even remember the dragon, what else can't she remember? She knew she met the dragon; it was the feeling of absolutely knowing something, like knowing she had a family and friends but it wouldn't come to her how she knew. Melody was curious as to why someone would be looking up dragons, especially in a place like this, glancing back into the other room. As her senses woke up, Melody had to steady herself, the raw power that had shocked her when she first woke up, swept over her now. It didn't take her by much surprise this time, but it still was effective, her head throbbed harder, and made her sway, but she calmed herself. She'll just have to find a way to deal with the rawness of magic of this time.

"You're awake!" His voice was a shock to Melody's system, making her scream and jump back. Spinning, Melody stared at the shock expression of a young man, gulping, Melody eyed him. Short black hair, light blue eyes, wearing a red shirt, blue scarf, brown pants, shoes and brown jacket. He didn't look dangerous, but she wasn't ready to trust anyone yet. He stared back at her, his expression changing from shock, to a huge smile. "Good. We were getting worried about you." He said walking forward, stepping back; Melody remained quiet, wrapping her cloak around her more, see protection. He stopped and arched an eyebrow looking at the girl. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." He said gently, like he was talking to a spooked animal. Melody narrowed her eyes, watching him.

"Who are you?" She asked after a moment, she needed to find out where she was, and who he was. If he was dangerous than he was easily dealt with.

"My name is Merlin. Yours?" Merlin replied, a small smile creeping on his face, he seemed pleased that she was speaking to him. He eyed her as well, but it was a different eyeing, he was studying her, making her feel uncomfortable. What was he studying her for? His eyes flickered towards the open book on the table, and panic flashed across his face before he smiled once more. Melody watched, arching an eyebrow, why would he be afraid of her looking at a book? He didn't seem too dangerous and there was something about his name that seemed familiar but Melody decided to keep some distance from this man, what did he say his name was again? Right. Merlin.

"Melody" She replied, after a minute debate with herself. Should she give a fake name or her real one? Didn't really matter anyways. Her head throbbed then, stabbing her with pain, and the girl groaned, closing her eyes.

"Hey, sit down. Here" Merlin grabbed a chair, moving it closer to the girl, allowing her to sit. "You had one nasty fall back in the woods; we didn't think we'd make it back in time." Merlin spoke, running around the small room, looking for something. Melody watched him out of the corner of her eye, her head hurting too much to reply. It was like someone was stabbing her in a constantly through her mind. The girl didn't understand why it hurt, she didn't press for any memories, and she didn't force anything! Was it from the fall? Melody let out another groan, maybe she shouldn't of moved so soon. Merlin finally found the vial he was looking for, running back over. "Here, this should help the pain." He said, again with a smile on his face. Melody just nodded, taking the vial, eyeing the yellow liquid briefly. It smelled awful, and tasted even worse. Shivering, she placed her head in her hands, breathing slowly, and waiting for the liquid to take effect.

_Melody…_

The girl jumped slightly, her eyes wide, staring around the room. It was a different voice, not the one from the woods. Suppressing a shiver, Melody glanced around the room expecting someone to be there. Merlin hadn't heard the voice, as he went about his business. He was talking about…something. She wasn't really listening, but watching him, trying to shake this uneasy feeling she was currently getting. What the hell was the matter with her?

_Melody..._

There it was again! Melody closed her eyes, placing her head in her hands, cursing herself. She was going crazy, there wasn't any voice. She felt a hand on her shoulder, making her jump once more to stare into light blue eyes. Merlin was crouched beside her, looking at her with slight worry, which Melody shrugged off. Why should he be worried about her? He didn't even know her.

"You okay? Are you feeling drowsy?" He asked slowly, his voiced muffled, making Melody's brow crease. It suddenly gotten hard to concentrate on his face, as it would unfocused and focus. Shaking her head slowly, the girl tried to shake the feeling of sleep that now was threatening to overcome her. She shouldn't of taken that liquid, she had to get out of there.

"No! No.." She mumbled, her words thick as she felt her eyelids slowly descend over her eyes, she tried to push the young man away from her, as he had grabbed her to stand. "No...no...I...I...go. Now." She mumbled Melody was fighting against the warm darkness threatening to take her back to sleep. She didn't want to sleep, she wanted to go and find James, stop the madness that was threatening to destroy the future they lived in. Pushing against Merlin, Melody tried to get away, but she felt herself being slowly dragged back towards the single bed. Shaking her head, she sat down, fighting against the medicine with everything she got.

"Don't fight it. Go back to sleep." Merlin's voice sounded far away and muffled, which scared Melody more.

"No!" She cried, which only turned out to be a soft whisper. She fought, fought with as much as she could before it took her, before she fell back into a deep sleep, allowing her body to heal from the fright and the adventure of the past few days.

* * *

Melody didn't dream this time, which was nice. It was a deep sleep, one that allowed her body to rest, recover from the shocks from the days before. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep, nor at this present moment did she really care. Her body was healing, it was getting used to the flow of raw power that filled the air around her, she breathed more easily, and found herself calmer than before. Which was strange, she almost felt like she was back in her bed, in her time, but she knew she wasn't, she could feel that she wasn't. It didn't scare her anymore, the shock had worn off, and whatever that young man had given her had helped, more than she wanted to admit. She heard voices this time as she woke up, a couple of men not too far away from her, talking in hushed whispers. She tried to hear what they were saying, but not catching anything.

_Melody…_

It was a deep voice, a darker voice, not James voice, but it called her once more. An urge to find the owner swept over her body, making her shiver, she fought it. Not yet, she wasn't ready to face it yet, to know who it was. Turning her head, she opened her eyes slowly, allowing her vision to clear, the room was darker than when she first woke up, a warm fire crackled beside her, the heat making her drowsy, even after the amount of sleep she got. Three men stood together in a circle, one was older than the other two, his hair white as snow, wearing a red rob, he looked ancient, but wise. The other was a head taller than the snow white, a gold crown rested upon his brow, as he wore a black tunic, with a red cap draped around his shoulders, his hair looked like pepper and salt, a mixture of black, gray and white. The third stood in between the other two in height, his hair blonde, wearing a red shirt, a belt, and black pants, he leaned against one of the tables, his back turned to her. The gentleman wearing the crown was the one who noticed her awake.

"It seems Gauis that your patient has finally awoken." He said, his blue eyes landed on her, studying her. She felt exposed and turned away, he gave her the feeling of if you upset him, he would hunt you down, judgmental almost. Melody shivered against his stare, feeling his eyes on him. Not hearing anyone move, Melody jumped feeling a hand on her wrist, almost whipping it away, before staring in soft brown eyes of the eldest gentleman.

"Welcome back M'lady." He said, his voice soft and kind, he looked at her, not like an insect, but like a human being, she stopped resisting his touch, and relaxed just a little. Was he Gauis?

"How long was I out for?" Melody asked after a moment of silence, keeping her eyes trained on the older man, who stared at her before standing up.

"Almost two weeks. Merlin said you had woken up for a few moments, before passing out again." He said, looking around the table at the vials of liquids. Melody watched him for a moment, before sitting up, confusion coursing through her.

"Two weeks…surely it's been…less." She said, placing a hand on her head. It didn't hurt, there was no pain, no pounding. She felt her senses sharpen but didn't get overwhelmed with the feeling of raw power, two weeks had taken her to finally adjust to this time, and yet it had wasted so much time. "Wait…did you say Merlin?" His name sparked, a memory, of when she first woken up. "He…he gave me a vial of something…to help my head." She said slowly, ignoring the other two in the room, who watched in silence.

"Yes, he said he gave you a sleeping potion." Gauis smiled, glancing over to the girl, who looked worried. "What do you remember?" He asked, catching her attention making her look at him. Her brow creased as she thought, before blinking a few times.

"I remember waking up in the forest. I was scared and I ran…then I heard noises, and I fell and I blacked out." Melody answered, her brow creasing again as she looked down at the blankets covering her. "I woke up, and I was going to leave…I don't know where I am…I was scared and my head hurt. Then Merlin showed up, gave me that potion and I blacked out again." She answered, turning to look at the older man who nodded, walking over handing her another vial.

"Drink this, it should help." Melody eyed the vial, before taking it, as Gauis laughed. "It's not another sleeping potion." He said, the girl glanced at him wearily, before taking the vial, what choice did she have? She drank it all, and coughed as a vile taste slid down her throat, as she stopped coughing, she felt her vision clear, her mind sharpen, and her body felt even better than when she woke the first time. Turning to stare at the man, Melody blinked. "Feeling better?" He said, with a small smile.

"Very. Thank-you." Melody replied, before glancing at the others in the room. Momentarily, she had forgotten that they were there, but the youngest man, the blonde, had coughed, his eyebrow arched, he was handsome now that Melody saw his face, bright blue eyes, the older man, had his arms crossed from his chest, with a stern expression. Melody gulped, she felt uneasy under his gaze, she wanted nothing but to run.

"What is your name dear?" Gauis asked, watching the girl.

"Melody. Melody Winters." She replied, glancing between everyone.

"I'm glad your awake Melody, do you know who I am?" His voice was gentle, but his expression hard. He may have had a smile upon his features, but it didn't reach his eyes, those eyes that made her feel like an insect that he was going to squish her. Melody eyed him, eyed his crown upon his brow, and shook her head. She didn't know who this man was, a part of her didn't want to know who he was. As she shook her head, his expression did soften just a little, without realizing it, she felt hands on her own, and turned back to Gauis. He smiled gently at her, which didn't help settle her nerves now, now she was scared, but not a panic scared, just now she was surrounded by strangers, two of them she didn't know their names.

"Melody, this is King Uther Pendragon, his son Prince Arthur." Gaius answered, which sent a shock into Melody's system, Arthur Pendragon? Of course she knew that name, his name was famous in her time, he would go down in history, no matter where you are from, there are certain pieces of information that would always stay. King Arthur of Camelot was one of those names. She stared at Arthur and Uther, she felt like she should know Uther but it wouldn't come to her, and she refused to force it.

"Your majesty, your highness." Melody said, bowing her head to both, while she continued to sit on her small cot, now she wanted to get up, to walk, sitting for so long wasn't helping her. Arthur smiled at the girl, as Uther nodded in return.

"My son tells me, him and his manservant found you in the forest. You don't remember what you were doing there?" Uther asked, taking a seat beside the bed, staring at the girl. Melody shook her head, before concentrating, she woke in a clearing with Avery, but…something told her not to tell him that.

"No sire, I just woke in the forest. I don't know how I got there, or where I'm from. I'm sorry." She said, looking at him with a pleading look, most of it was true, but how would Time bed around her and fit her into here, how would it make a story for herself. Oh how she wished she could go home, and just forget about James.

_Melody…_

It didn't make her jump, but her eyes opened wider, she had to find that voice, she had to figure out who was calling her. Why she was hearing voices worried her as well, normally witches didn't hear voices unless a spirit or a demon was called upon.

_Uther mustn't know about you…_

Melody tuned out the others, they had started talking, something about moving her into her own quarters, giving her what she needed, something like that. Melody, watched, but didn't see but concentrated on the voice, on the magic that resonated from it, it was coming from deep beneath her feet, it was strong, even to pass through thick stones.

"Well I'm going to keep her here for one more night before we move her." Gauis was saying to Arthur and his father, who nodded. Uther glanced over at her, arching an eyebrow.

"We will talk more tomorrow. Maybe you can help her remember Gauis, see if we can get her back to her family. Until then, Melody, you're welcome to stay here in Camelot, and we'll provide you with everything you need." Uther smiled, which Melody bowed her head, and he turned and left. Arthur stayed, his arms crossed against his chest, staring at the girl than turned his attention to Gauis.

"Where's Merlin?" He asked, glancing around the small room, Gauis became extremely uncomfortable and stumbled over his words. Melody arched an eyebrow, watching the exchange.

"He's…out…Merlin needed to go out to…the Tavern." Melody honestly thought Arthur would get mad, but instead the Prince just sighed and shook his head.

"He's going to the Tavern a little too often. When he gets back, tell him he's in deep trouble." And Arthur left, shaking his head.

"He's really not at the Tavern is he?" Melody asked, glancing at Gauis who shook his head.

"No. he's running an errand for me. He should be back tonight, but Arthur doesn't need to know." Gauis said, glancing at the door, his face worried, waiting for the door to burst open and the young man walk in all smiles. Melody smiled herself, and yawned. "Now, like I said I want to keep you here for one more night and tomorrow, we'll make sure your all better." Gauis placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling lightly to her. She laid back down, her eyes feeling heavy once more, after two weeks of sleeping, she didn't think she could sleep anymore, and yet here she was, slowly falling asleep.

_Sleep young witch, and we'll speak soon…_

She should have been worried because the voice knew, knew about her, but comfort washed over her. Someone knew, someone who wanted to help, someone who she hoped would turn into a friend. She yawned once more, watched Gauis shuffle away, to one of his tables, bending over a book, allowed the warmth from the fire to help fall asleep. Tomorrow more questions will be answered. Melody so hoped.


End file.
